A new Green Deal for Italy signed by 110 companies for a sustainable recovery

The Italian business world, heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, takes an initiative to relaunch the economy in a green way. To date, 110 representatives of important companies and business organizations have signed the Manifesto. “Recovering from the Pandemic with a New Green Deal in Italy”, also endorsed by Legacoop Produzione e Servizi.

The Manifesto intervenes in the ongoing debate, at national and European level, on measures to relaunch the economy, heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, by calling for a development project that is up to the challenges of our time. Here is the full text:

«The new Coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the habits and ways of life of billions of people. It is causing thousands of deaths as well as a huge economic downturn. The pandemic has unveiled our vulnerability, our lack of preparation and resilience in front of this kind of risks: in other words, it has unveiled the need to take more care of our future.

We believe that, to face such a destructive crisis and to open concrete opportunities for a better future, broad, innovative and far-reaching policies are required. We need an unprecedented public intervention – both national and European – in the economy, as well as an extraordinary commitment from citizens and businesses. This will only be possible if we share proper awareness, a common vision, and clear decisions towards a new kind of development model that is able to meet the challenges of our time.

While implementing measures to make our societies, our health systems, and our economies more resilient towards pandemics, other challenges threatening our future should not be overlooked or, even worse, spread. First, the major climate crisis, that is caused by a linear economic model with high consumption of fossil fuels and high waste of natural resources. Our extraordinary effort must aim for a sustainable development, that ensures higher employment and a larger and more equally distributed wellbeing based on a decarbonized and circular economy.

The European Recovery Plan – that aims at triggering robust European funding, with a more active role of the European Investments Bank, an increased European budget, and common financial instruments to raise additional capitals on the market- in the context of the actual crisis, should re-establish and revive the ambitious European project for an advanced, decarbonized and circular economy.

We believe that a new Green Deal is the right way to reach a strongest and long-lasting recovery, unlocking the best potentialities of our Country. The potentiality of quality productions, that are increasingly green and inseparable from the decarbonization and circularity of production, distribution, and consumption patterns. The potentiality of sectors of excellence, such as waste management, a main pillar of circular economy, and energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, that are key for a carbon neutral economy. The potentiality of the sustainable agriculture model, that is strategic for food safety, and of the other regenerative bioeconomy activities, that can revitalize marginal areas and disused sites. The potentiality of cities, that need to be boosted with a broad plan for green urban regeneration. The potentiality of the substantial natural capital, that is necessary for many ecosystem services and for the revival of many economic activities such as tourism. The potentiality of a low-carbon and alternative-fuel transition towards a more decarbonized, electric, and shared mobility.
The potentiality of digital innovation, that could contribute to improve our work, study, and healthcare, while reducing our ecological footprint. Economic stimulus packages must not increase GHG emissions or worsen environmental impacts, thus shifting additional costs to our future.

We believe that a new Green Deal is the innovative way forward for the economic renaissance of Italy».

The Manifesto aims to promote the involvement of the business world and the wider public. The collection of endorsements will continue on the site www.greendealitalia.it

You can follow the initiative on social media with #greendealitalia

FIRST 110 COMPANIES AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING THE MANIFESTO